I pull up to my brothers place. Before I can get out of the car Dom is running to Chrissy door. "Hey Unk's Baby." He chants picking her up and walking inside the house. I guess he forget how Chrissy got over here.
"You so rude Dominique."
"Who You?"
"Ima remember that next time you ask us to come over here." I playfully roll my eyes. "Man get over here and give me a hug lil girl." I lean down and hug him. "What's up Asia?"
"Hey Mon."
"Where Rock?"
"He'll be here as soon as he's done handling some business." I respond. "What up Asia? Hey lil mama." DJ says coming inside. "Hey DJ... Where Crystal at?" I ask realizing she's the only person I haven't seen. "Shopping with one of her homegirls in town."
"Oh." I take a seat on the sofa. "Y'all saw Tania lately?" I ask.
"Hell nah. She ain't on the Westside anymore." Mon says, "You never know with her."
Dom shakes his head, "This why you can't just link up with anybody. She met a nigga and that nigga turned her world upside down. Shit don't make no sense. She running the street day and night searching for her next fix." Dom has never said it but I know that's why he's like the way he is about me. Why he was so pressed about getting out the hood but I'm nothing like our mother.
"Let me see my niece." Mon says getting her from Dom. "What's up Titi?"
"Uny." She grabs his face smiling. My phone rings and it's Rock. "What's up bae?"
"Where you at Pretty lady?"
"With Dom and Mon. You coming by?" I ask. "Yeah, My baby there?"
"Where else she gone be?"
"You got a smart lil mouth."
"You ain't gone do none bout it."
"Who ain't? Say I won't?"
"You won't." I tease. "Take that shit somewhere else." Dom says mugging me. "We ain't even talking about nothing... I'll see you when you get here." I laugh. "Alright baby." We hang up.
"Chrissy." She turns her head and looks at me then walks over to me. "How the hair industry going?" Dom asks. "Good as hell. I've been doing orders right and right."
"That's good. You gone get your hair license?"
"I doubt it. I don't love really love styling hair. It was never my thing."
"You and Alisha could still do some." Dom says. While everything else may be all good and getting back to normal, that ain't and never will. I even found out she knew about them trying to set us up that day but she didn't want to say anything because of Montez.
"Don't even. She's dead to me and been dead and stop trying to get me to be back cool with her Montez." I know that's his doing because Dom could care less."
"Shit happened years ago."
"I don't care when it happened." Family is forever but a friend who crosses you while pretending to be down for you is another thing. She can die slow for all I care.
"Where my baby at?" Rock says walking inside. Chrissy runs straight to him. "There she go!" He lifts her up and spins her around. I smile watching the two. "What's up folks?" He says dapping Dom and Mon up.
"What's up?" They speak back. He sits down beside me as I wait to be greeted. "Um Robert."
"Bae we had this talk about using my first name."
"Ask me do I care."
"You so rude. Hey bae."
"Bye Robert." He laughs, "Stop playing with me Asia."
"Anyway, you still moving weight on that side?" Mom asks. "Yeah I am. Why what's up?"
"We getting word it's a new gang- some lil ass kids but they talking bout trying to get the whole south and east side." Dom says.
"These niggas playing with they life."
"Facts." Mon says. "I think we could combine and takeover the Westside and then go North. This shit still in the works right now so right now it's just an idea."
"I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. I'm down for it but until then it's still fuck the south side."
"Fuck the east side nigga, fake ass niggas." They all laugh. "So it's settled."
"This what we came over here for? Y'all could've discussed that over the phone." I say rolling my eyes. "Shut up Asia."
"I'm just saying."
"Foo." Christianna says. "What y'all got to eat?"
"Nothing. Crystal supposed to be bringing some back from the grocery store. My baby hungry?" Dom asks. "Uhm mhm."
"We can go sit down somewhere." Mon suggests. "Lets go."
"Ima tell Crystal to meet us there."
***
After eating we head back to our place. I'm full and the itis has kicked in. "Bae can you grab Chrissy?" I ask opening my car door. "Yes I got her."
"Aye Rock!" Who is this nigga? "Nigga. Asia get her while I handle this." Rock says walking to the guy. I get inside laying Chrissy down in her room. I peek out the window watching Rock and the guy talk. They dap up and Rock begins to walk inside the house.
I walk back downstairs and into the kitchen. I pour me some tea and lean against the counter. "Who was that?"
"Just this nigga in training."
"Training for what?"
"Working for me. Sean supposed to be showing that nigga that ropes but he ain't heard from him all day."
"How does he know where we live?"
"It's only three other people who know where we live and trust all of them gone get checked bout that shit."
"Do that because that ain't cool and doesn't sit right with me."
"I gotcha lil boss."
He wraps his arms around my waist. "Want some?" I ask offering my cup of tea. "Some of you." I blush turning my face away from him. "No lie though we got to chill a lil bit, I wanna make you a wife before I make you a mother to another child."
"Okay but don't say that ever again." I move his hands. "Why is that a problem?"
"I've just heard it before and it... it just left a sour taste in my mouth."
"I hate when you do that shit but alright. Say Less." He goes to walk up the stairs. "Rock."
Not bothering to respond he continues up and then our door shuts. I know he's not Chris but it's just a sensitive trigger for me. Anytime he says certain things it takes me back to those moments. They're two completely different people and I know that but I just can't help it. He gets frustrated with me for reacting the way I do at times but it's just how it is. He feels like I'm comparing the two and he's shown he's nothing like that. I sigh sitting my cup down.
I get into our room and here the shower running. I walk inside and see him standing there. I quietly walk out and undress. "Can I join you?" I ask after slipping in behind him. "Do what you want." He says nonchalantly. "Even you?"
"Nah."
"Please bae." I reach in front of me finding what I'm searching for. My hand goes up and down his shaft. He turns around facing me, I kiss him as I walk back into the wall. He picks me up I wrap my legs around him. He gives me long and deep strokes. "I love you." I moan into his ear. "You do?"
"Ah- Yes." I close my eyes with my back slamming against the wall.
We lie in bed with him holding me. His snores begin to fill quietness of the room. I look over and kiss his neck. "Good night bae."
"Good night Asia."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
While he drifts off to sleep I lay awake with my mind on Chris.